Magnus's head turned to Olya as she walked out with Emma. His breath lodged in his throat, captivated by her. When she was around it was difficult for him to do anything else, see anyone or even breathe. Olya glanced back at him as if inviting him to join her, and inadvertently he took a step towards her.
"Where are you going?" Naomi said, giving him a pointed look.
Magnus stopped in his tracks as he pursed his lips in a thin line. Olya wasn't Magnus's mate but he felt a strong attraction to her. He had fallen in love with her when he saw her the first time. She was barely thirteen. He had come to attend Samhain along with Lazarus and other vampires of his house. She was so chirpy and running around like a child, like a butterfly, like a flower in the wind that he had fallen head over heels for her. And since then the passion only grew harder.
"I was planning on joining Emma," he said and his throat burned with the lie.
ƥαṇdα-ηθνε|·ƈθm "We have to catch up, cousin!" Cain stopped him. "There is a lot you and I have to talk about. Gladys is also here. It is going to be one long night!"
"Where is Lazarus?" Naomi asked. "I haven't seen him ever since he came here."
Gladys shrugged while Magnus remained quiet. Lazarus had gone to meet the Oracle of Zeph.
"He will come back in a few hours," Magnus filled them in.
"But where has he gone?" Naomi asked, walking towards the tent's exit and directing the servant to drop the flap down.
"I don't know," Magnus said. Lazarus had asked him to keep it a secret.
Cain sat on the couch that was at the corner of the tent near the table over which lavish food was spread. He picked up lamb steak and chewed it. "How come Lazarus hasn't come with Maeve?" he asked. "And when did Emma come into his life? Is she Maeve's new vessel? Don't tell me that please!" He shook his head.
Gladys exhaled a long breath as she too went to sit on the soft rugs that were spread in the center of the tent. "She is the new vessel for Maeve and she knows about it."
Naomi was surprised. "And she has agreed?"
"Does she have a choice?" Magnus scoffed.
Along with Yul and Olya, Emma walked around the garden. She loved how vibrant the whole place was.
"Would you like to come to my favorite place?" Olya said with a smile to Emma.
"Sure!" Emma chirped. "You are Naomi's sister?"
"Yes!" Olya nodded with a smile. "I am her younger sister."
Emma wanted to ask her about Magnus, but she hesitated. Instead she asked, "Do you live here with them?"
"I do…" she said in a low voice. "Our parents died when I was a babe. Naomi is like my mother. She took me under her wings and Lord Cain had been very benevolent towards me."
"You live with them?" Emma repeated, one brow arching.
She chuckled. "Yes. And they treat me like their child, not like Naomi's sister."
Emma laughed at that as Yul grinned. "I have known Olya for a long time."
"But you haven't come here that often," Olya complained. "You should have!" They both used to play together when they were younger.
He shrugged. "I am too busy with Lord Lazarus. It's just impossible to find time." His gaze landed on Emma who was now looking ahead towards a tent.
"Here we are!" Olya said excitedly. "A witch comes here every Samhain. She is so good and she kind of creates so many illusions that you would be astonished. We call this place a horror house!"
Emma's blood drained. "Horror house?"
"Yes!" Olya grabbed her hand and laughed. "Don't be afraid. It's all an illusion."
"Yes, don't be afraid Emma," Yul said as he came to stand behind her. "I am there with you!"
Olya tugged Emma in the horror house. They walked through a dark tunnel. Emma grabbed Olya's hand tightly as if her life depended on it. She hadn't been this afraid of Lazarus's fangs. In fact, thinking of them only made her throat dry.
"Don't be scared, okay?" Olya repeated. "These are just illusions and can't harm you."
With her breath lodged in her throat, she walked further down when all at once, a very tall man with a skull instead of head pounced on them. Emma shrieked as she bent down while Olya laughed. "It is nothing, Emma!" Yul assured her. When she got up, it wasn't there.
Next, they entered a room full of mirrors and Emma was aghast when she saw her reflection in the mirrors. Her skin was pale and her eyes were red. There was a crown on her head which had red rubies and diamonds. She stopped there, frozen to the spot.
"Don't stop, Emma," said Olya. "This is a room of pure imagination. The mirrors show you something you are not." Saying that Olya walked ahead while Yul stood a few feet away from her, mesmerized at his reflection.
But Emma couldn't pull herself away from the mirror. As she gazed at it, the surface of the mirror rippled like water and a hand appeared from inside it, holding an apple. "Emma…" a woman's voice sounded from inside it.
Emma clenched her jaw to stop her teeth from chattering as she shivered with fear.
"This is for you," the voice said.
Emma whipped her head to see if anyone else was having the same experience like her. But Yul was fixed in his place, while Olya was still roaming around unaffected.
"Who are you?" Emma asked.
She chuckled. "I am Shira," she said. "Don't worry. This is a small secret between us and will remain like that. Won't you eat the apple?"
With shaky hands she took the apple. "How do you know me?"
The surface of the mirror rippled again and it became plain and hard. Instead of her reflection, Emma now saw a beautiful woman standing inside it. She was wearing a silvery dress that sparkled like it had stars all over. Her lips were painted red and she had golden eyes.
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